Fore-end construction for firearms



Oct. 28. 1924.

E. A. WADSWORTH FORE END CONSTRUCTION FOR FIREARMS Filed May 26, 922

* INVENTOR.

BY A%zm A TTORNEYS U N E T EDWARD A. WADSVVORTH, OF WOLGOTT,

NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO THE HUNTER ARMS COMPANY INC., 03 FULTON, NEW YORK, A CORTE'OBATION OF NEW YORK.

FORE-END CONSTRUCTION FOR FIREARMS.

Application filed May 26,

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD A. Van s- WORTH, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of WVolcott, in the county of Wayne and State of New York, have invented a certain new and useful F ore-End Construction for Firearms, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to fire arms, and has for its object a particularly simple and eflicient construction of fore-ends, especially the fore-ends of shot guns by which the firing and recoil shock are transmitted axially or endwise through the wood body of the forearm and the fastening member which secures the fore-end iron is relieved of such shocks.

This invention consists in the novel features and in the combinations and constructions hereinafter set forth and claimed.

In describing this invention, reference 15 had to the accompanying drawings in wh ch like characters designate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figures 1 and 2 are respectively, a plan and inverted plan of this fore-end.

Figure 3 is a central longitudinal sectiona1 view, the contiguous portion of the gun. being shown in dotted lines.

Figure 4 is a front end elevation of the fore-end the barrels of the gun being shown in dotted lines.

This fore-end for forearms comprises, generally, a body usually of wood, a foreend iron embedded in the rear portion of the body and having any well known means for engaging the barrels or lug on the barrel and also the head or block at its rear end which coacts with the front end of the breech block and lug on the barrels to hinge the barrels to the frame, and recoil or shock transmitting means extending lengthwise of the front portion of the fore-end body and secured to the front end of the fore-end iron and shouldering against the front end of the body whereby shocks are transmitted endwise through the wood body fro-m the heads of the fore-end iron and said means thrusting respectively against the rear and front ends of the fore end body.

l designates the fore-end body which 1s usually formed of wood shaped to fit the lower sides of the barrel or barrels. The body here shown is formed with two grooves 1922. Serial no. 563,883.

or channels 2 for receiving the double bar-- rels 3, the outer side walls 4 of the channels extending high enough to prevent the hand especially the ends of the thumb and fingers from coming in contact with the barrels. In addition, to forming shields, the side walls of the channels widen the fore-end to afiord a better hand hold or grip both to hold the gun when shooting and when removing the fore-end. The provision of such grip also eliminates the beveled surface on the upper side of the tip of the fore-end to provide space for the thumb or finger to be inserted to remove the fore end, and also permits the recoil rod to extend to the front end of the fore end body.

5 is the fore-end iron which may be of any suitable construction, it comprising an elongated body embedded in the rear portion of the body 1, and a block or head 6 thrusting against the rear end of the foreend body 1. The fore-end iron is laid in a groove or recess 7 extending lengthwise of the rear portion of the body 1 of the foreend and opening through the top face and rear end face of the body 1, and is usually secured in position by a screw 8 extending vertically downwardly through the inner end of the fore-end iron 5 through the body 1, and into a plate 9 inlaid in the lower face of the body. The fore-end iron is also provided with the usual spring loop 10 and thumb operated catch 11 coacting with the lug 12 on the barrels to hold the fore-end to the barrels, the catch 11 being exposed through slot 13 in the plate 9. The head 6 of the fore-end iron 5 is shaped to coact with the front end of the frame or breech block to form a hinge joint which permits pivotal movement of the barrels to open and close the breech. Also,'the usual ejector and hammer cocking parts are carried by the fore-end iron, all as will be understood by those skilled in the art. The construction thus far described is old, and well known and in itself forms no part of this invention, with the exception of the form of the foreend.

The means for transmitting shocks lengthwise of the fore-end body from one end face to the other and relieving the intermediate parts of the body from such strain, comprises an extension of the foreend iron which as here illustrated, consists of a recoil rod 1& extending lengthwise of the front end portion of the body 1 and located in a bore 15 in line with the recess 7 in which the fore-end iron is located, said rod preferably having detachable interlocking connection with the front end of the fore-end iron 5 and having a head 16 shouldering against the front end of the fore-end body.

As here illustrated, the rod 14 is threaded at its rear end and threads into a passage 17 in the front end of the fore-end iron 5, this passage 17 also preferably opening into the passage for the screw 8 so that the rod when Screwed in tightly engages the shank of the screw 8 and holds it from unscrewing. In order to provide enough stock for the passage 17, the fore-end iron is thickened at its inner end at 18. The head 16 of the recoil rod 14; is preferably round and slotted to receive a screw driver; and is seated in a countersink formed in a metal seat or washer 19 embedded in the front end of the body 1 of the fore-end.

Heretofore in the construction of foreends, the intermediate part of the fore-end body has received the shocks of firing and the recoil at the screw 8 and the hole for the screw in the body becomes enlarged and the fore-end iron loose.

By my invention, owing to the recoil rod, these shocks are received by the body of the fore-end at the end faces thereof and the in termediate .parts and screws such as the screw 8 are relieved of such shocks and the fore-end iron always snugly fits the foreend body.

My recoil rod is ready and inexpensively applied to the fore-end and iron and adds greatly to the life and efficiency of the gun.

lVhat I claim is:

1. In a. fire arm, a fore end comprising a body, a fore end iron embedded in the rear portion of the body and having a. block at the rear end of the body and a recoil member extending lengthwise of the front portion of the body and having a shoulder at its front end thrusting against the front end of the body and being connected at its rear end to said iron.

2. In a firearm, a fore-end comprising a body a fore-end iron embedded in the rear portion of the body and having a block at the rear end of the body, and a recoil rod extending lengthwise of the front portion of the body and having a head at the front end of the body and being connected at its rear end to said iron forming an extension thereof, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

3. In a firearm, a fore-end comprising a body, a fore-end iron embedded in the rear portion of the body and having a block at the rear end of the body, and a recoil rod extending lengthwise of the front portion of the body and having a head at the front end of the body and being connected at its rear end to said iron forming an extension thereof, the rod having means for detachably interlocking with the front end of the fore-end iron and being removable by an endwise movement of the rod, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

4. In a firearm, a fore-end comprising a body formed with a recess in its rear portion opening through the upper face and rear end of the body and with a bore extending lengthwise of the body and opening into the front end of the recess and through the front end of the body, a foreend iron located in the recess and having a head exposed on the rear end face of the body, and a recoil rod extending through said bore and connected at its rear end to the said iron, and having a head shouldering against the front end of the body, substantially as and for the purpose described.

5. In a firearm, a fore-end comprising a body a fore-end iron embedded in the rear portion of the body, and a recoil rod extending lengthwise of the front portion of the body and threading at its rear end into the front end of the fore end iron, and having a head thrusting against the front end of the body, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

6. In a firearm, a fore-end comprising a body formed with a recess in its rear portion opening through the upper face and rear end of the body and with a bore extending lengthwise of the body and opening into the front end of the recess and through the front end of the body, a foreend iron located in the recess and having a head exposed on the rear end face of the body, and a recoil rod extending through said bore and threading at its rear end into the front end of the fore-end iron and having a head shouldering against the front end of the body, set forth.

7. In a firearm, a fore-end comprising a body, a fore-end iron embedded in the rear portion of the body, a screw extending through the front end of the fore-end iron and into the body, and a recoil rod extending lengthwise of the front portion of the body and threading at its rear end in the front end of said iron against said screw, and having a head thrusting against the front end of the body, substantially as and for the purpose described.

8. In a firearm, a fore-end comprising a body formed with a recess in its rear portion opening through the upper face and rear end of the body and opening into the front end of the recess and through the front end of the body, a fore-end iron located in the recess and having a head exposed on the rear end face of the body, a screw extending vertically through the front end of said iron and the body, a plate on substantially as and for the purpose specithe lower side of the body, the screw exfied. tending into said plate, and a recoil rod In testimony whereof, I have hereunto 10 extending through said bore, and threading signed my name at Fulton, in the county of 5 at its rear end into the front end of said Oswego and State of New York, this 16 day iron against said screw, and having a head of May, 1922. thrusting against the front end of the body, EDWARD A. WADSWORTH. 

